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Bulgarian operator Bulsatcom has successfully launched the country’s first geostationary satellite, BulgariaSat 1, in cooperation with Ellon Musk’s SpaceX. The satellite, which launched on June 24 2017, is owned and operated by Bulsatcom and is the second satellite to be launched in Europe with 100% private investment. The total value of the project is $235 million, with an estimated return on investment of 10 years.

Basque cable operator Euskaltel has announced it is to acquire Telecable, a cable operator based in the Asturias region in the north of Spain, for a total value of up to €701 million. The cable operator is currently owned by UK investment group Zegona, which is headed by two former Virgin Media executives. The deal will be financed by a cash payment of €186.5 million to Zegona, as well as a 15% stake in Euskaltel. Regulatory approval for the deal is expected in Q3 2017.

Hong Kong’s leading free-to-air broadcaster TVB has launched a subscription-based over-the-top (OTT) service, offering live streaming of 20 channels and an 11,000-hour library of content including classic dramas from TVB and acquired programming from South Korea and Japan.

While fixed line triple play has exploded in France and developed into a significant quad play user base, other western European markets have been slower. Operators have come up against issues of market structure with regulation, infrastructure and low pay TV demand shaping the market. In some markets fixed-mobile convergence products are gaining significant traction without a full fixed line triple play behind them.

Spain’s competition regulator CNMC has approved Telefónica’s takeover of pay TV operator Canal Plus subject to conditions including a requirement to offer at least half of its premium channels to third party platforms. The green light comes nearly one year after the telecommunications giant announced the acquisition of Prisa’s 56% stake in Distribudora de Television (DTS), the parent company of Canal Plus Espana. The deal was valued at €725 million ($785 million).

Private equity group Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) is to acquire the South-Eastern European pay TV and broadband operations of SBB/Telemach Group. The deal, the value of which was undisclosed, sees the assets...